We were lucky to interview Kellie Leigh when she came into Montreal for the MTL140 conference..She kindly took the time from her busy schedule to answer our questions about her newest gig for Zoocasa.com (Rogers Communications owned real estate based website). Being in the media industry since 1998, she brings a lot of experience to her position, handling social media marketing, online branding and content marketing.
What is Zoocasa and how does it benefit home buyers?
Zoocasa is Canada’s Fastest Growing Home Search website. It benefits buyers by providing them with valuable and up to date information about the neighbourhoods. We have extensive neighbourhood demographics on each and every listing. People can see the age, ethnicity, occupation, education and age of the people in every neighbourhood across Canada We also have Google street view, a mortgage calculator, gas calculator and Walk Score.
How does Zoocasa make money?
Zoocasa.com is fully supported by our local and national advertisers. We offer targeted, neighbourhood level advertising to local Realtors as well as standard IAB banners.
How are you reaching out to potential users or prospects?
I have used Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook & YouTube as my way of reaching out to Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals. Many of my clients also introduce me to their colleagues in the industry. I also write a blog called What Is New @ The Zoo!
We educate Real Estate professionals on how to use Zoocasa. They see the value, and take it a step further to educate their clients.
What is Zoocasa and how does it benefit home buyers?
Zoocasa is Canada’s Fastest Growing Home Search website. It benefits buyers by providing them with valuable and up to date information about the neighbourhoods. We have extensive neighbourhood demographics on each and every listing. People can see the age, ethnicity, occupation, education and age of the people in every neighbourhood across Canada We also have Google street view, a mortgage calculator, gas calculator and Walk Score.
How does Zoocasa make money?
Zoocasa.com is fully supported by our local and national advertisers. We offer targeted, neighbourhood level advertising to local Realtors as well as standard IAB banners.
How are you reaching out to potential users or prospects?
I have used Social Media such as Twitter, Facebook & YouTube as my way of reaching out to Real Estate and Mortgage Professionals. Many of my clients also introduce me to their colleagues in the industry. I also write a blog called What Is New @ The Zoo!
We educate Real Estate professionals on how to use Zoocasa. They see the value, and take it a step further to educate their clients.
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Are you supporting Zoocasa's social media with other marketing tactics?
Zoocasa has partnerships with companies such as Re/Max of Western Canada, EXIT Realty, The Real Estate Book, Homes & Land, OBEO & Point2.
We have also been actively sponsoring events such as Realtor Quest, Agent Reboot, REBar Camp, Richard Robbins IGNITE as well as many other events & golf tournaments nation wide. These events get us out into the community and allow us to have conversations about our product. From there it is all word of mouth.
With so many social media platforms out there, how do you know which to use? Which has worked for you?
I believe that one should be actively involved in all of the top Social Media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn. The reason why I am active on all is because people usually have preferences for one. I connect with different people in different places, the place or places of their preference.
How would you measure the success of a social media campaign?
I measure the success of our Social Strategy by increased awareness of our product, which has contributed to Zoocasa’s audience growth at 95% year over year.
How did you create a social media strategy for Zoocasa? And where does content fit in?
My social strategy has been to connect with the Real Estate community across Canada and engage in conversation with them, getting to know everyone as a person before it translates into business. I have built very real relationships with agents and that has translated into full support of our business. My clients promote Zoocasa on their websites, and we promote them.
As far as content goes, What Is New @ The Zoo is focused on marketing efforts of the Real Estate community, comparing different mediums to advertising on Zoocasa. There is no medium that is as targeted as Zoocasa. Over half a million people come to our site per month, 66% of them are looking for an agent, and 54% don’t have a pre-approved mortgage. You can’t get more targeted than that considering that online is where people begin their search!
Are there specific formats that you follow when you create content for social media?
The content ranges from Real Estate Marketing to commonly asked questions about Zoocasa from the Real Estate community. I believe that the only rule to social media is that you be authentic and I am a true believer in sharing the knowledge of marketing that I have gained in the last 14 years.
Twitter has been used as a communication tool to stay in touch with agents I have met with as well as to introduce myself & Zoocasa to the community.
What social media trends can affect the way Zoocasa use content?
Zoocasa is always at the forefront of technology, so staying up to date on all of the latest Social Media trends is very important. It’s also great to be able to listen to our community and take their suggestions on how we can make a better user experience, for people searching for a home as well as Realtors and Mortgage Brokers.
Zoocasa has partnerships with companies such as Re/Max of Western Canada, EXIT Realty, The Real Estate Book, Homes & Land, OBEO & Point2.
We have also been actively sponsoring events such as Realtor Quest, Agent Reboot, REBar Camp, Richard Robbins IGNITE as well as many other events & golf tournaments nation wide. These events get us out into the community and allow us to have conversations about our product. From there it is all word of mouth.
With so many social media platforms out there, how do you know which to use? Which has worked for you?
I believe that one should be actively involved in all of the top Social Media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn. The reason why I am active on all is because people usually have preferences for one. I connect with different people in different places, the place or places of their preference.
How would you measure the success of a social media campaign?
I measure the success of our Social Strategy by increased awareness of our product, which has contributed to Zoocasa’s audience growth at 95% year over year.
How did you create a social media strategy for Zoocasa? And where does content fit in?
My social strategy has been to connect with the Real Estate community across Canada and engage in conversation with them, getting to know everyone as a person before it translates into business. I have built very real relationships with agents and that has translated into full support of our business. My clients promote Zoocasa on their websites, and we promote them.
As far as content goes, What Is New @ The Zoo is focused on marketing efforts of the Real Estate community, comparing different mediums to advertising on Zoocasa. There is no medium that is as targeted as Zoocasa. Over half a million people come to our site per month, 66% of them are looking for an agent, and 54% don’t have a pre-approved mortgage. You can’t get more targeted than that considering that online is where people begin their search!
Are there specific formats that you follow when you create content for social media?
The content ranges from Real Estate Marketing to commonly asked questions about Zoocasa from the Real Estate community. I believe that the only rule to social media is that you be authentic and I am a true believer in sharing the knowledge of marketing that I have gained in the last 14 years.
Twitter has been used as a communication tool to stay in touch with agents I have met with as well as to introduce myself & Zoocasa to the community.
What social media trends can affect the way Zoocasa use content?
Zoocasa is always at the forefront of technology, so staying up to date on all of the latest Social Media trends is very important. It’s also great to be able to listen to our community and take their suggestions on how we can make a better user experience, for people searching for a home as well as Realtors and Mortgage Brokers.